June 2023

Politics, mental health, and making the important changes in life

Limerick Post reporter Alan Jacques hit the pavements of Limerick City for a long run and a frank chat with Labour Party councillor Conor Sheehan. Photos: Alan Jacques.

AFTER turning 50 a couple of years ago, a good friend of mine pointed out that I now find myself in “sniper alley” and could be picked off at any time. A cheery thought indeed.

Around that time, my GP informed me that my cholesterol was fairly high and suggested I should consider taking up running for exercise.

I did and within a week I was hooked. Honestly, it was the benefits it made to my mental health that really spurred me on. I felt more relaxed, less stressed, and I found running a great way to let off some steam after a busy day. I felt more at ease in myself after it and happier too.

As far as the running

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Caustic feedback, serious injuries and the quiet mental health suffering of horse racing jockeys (copy) |

BALTIMORE (AP) — Eurico Rosa da Silva was in a dark place.

On the track, the jockey in his early 30s was winning races and making money. At home, he was fighting suicidal thoughts every day.

“I got to the point where I have no more choice but to go for help,” he recalled recently. “I went because if I have no choice, I would kill myself.”

Da Silva got help in 2006 and rode for more than a decade before retiring. He’s one of the lucky ones.

Earlier this year, horse racing was stunned by the suicides less than six weeks apart of two young jockeys, 23-year-old Avery Whisman and 29-year-old Alex Canchari. A friend of Whisman’s, Triple Crown-winning rider Mike Smith, said he has seen similar tragedies over three decades.

“I know several riders that I knew very well committed suicide when it was all said and done,”

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Rebecca A Withey: Access for deaf people needs to be considered and valued by the holistic health field (BSL)

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again – the holistic health field is far from being fully accessible. I mentioned this in my writing years ago and unfortunately I still feel – eight years later – that the holistic world has a lot of catching up to do when it comes to inclusivity.

Being able to pursue an holistic health hobby is a very empowering thing. It allows you to take the reins somewhat and feel in control of your wellbeing. I know of several hearing friends who swear by things like acupuncture, reflexology or energy healing to boost their overall health and they rave about its positive effects.

Online there is a wealth of free resources (especially on YouTube) that allow you to learn more about a topic or holistic activity. Yet in order to access these videos deaf people’s choices are very limited.

Occasionally, you’ll find

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Chris Robshaw and Camilla Kerslake: Our mental health journey

Given their respective careers, husband and wife Chris Robshaw and Camilla Kerslake both understand the impact of high pressure; what it means to walk out in front of massive audiences and know you have to perform.

Asked how she copes with that kind of stress, Camilla is refreshingly honest. “The first time I did a Wembley cup final, I had hypnotherapy,” she reveals. And it worked. “I remember being in a smelly dressing room that had just been used by 40 footballers and then I remember being in my seat.” She doesn’t recall anything in between and only knew that she had sung the national anthem to an audience of millions when she saw it later on television.

Fortunately Camilla has a partner who understands what it’s like to have to do your job in front of 80,000 people. Chris’s rugby career included many extraordinary highs: winning the Premiership with

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Most People Don’t Need Pacemakers Until Retirement Age. I Had To Get One At 26.

The author's post-operation picture.

The author’s post-operation picture.

The author’s post-operation picture.

In my mid-20s, I was feeling unusually tired and anxious. I found myself starting to fall asleep on the bus home from work each day, and sometimes I felt a strange fluttering sensation in my chest and needed to take slow, deep breaths to calm down. 

Since I was young and previously healthy, I figured it was probably just a hormonal imbalance, or maybe a vitamin deficiency. My doctor initially agreed, but after noticing I had an “unusual heart rate,” he added heart health to the list of potential culprits and told me I needed an echocardiogram. 

This was enough to send panic running through me. My dad had lived with multiple heart conditions from birth and spent much of his childhood in and out of the hospital for operations. After I was born, his condition worsened, forcing him to take early

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Kentucky’s trans youth dread what state health care ban will mean for them. ‘I’m a human’

From an overflow room in the Kentucky Capitol Annex, Henry Svec, 13, listened to adults explain why kids like him needed to be protected from themselves.

Masses of people had joined Henry, crowding the halls of the Frankfort statehouse on March 2 to protest House Bill 470, a proposal to ban gender-affirming care for transgender youth in Kentucky. Up to that point, this type of health care, endorsed by major U.S. medical associations, was legal in the state. The standard of care for prescribing medication that’s considered gender affirming, such as puberty blockers, requires permission from a parent or guardian.

As lawmakers on the House Judiciary Committee heard testimony in favor of the bill, Henry watched the meeting unfold on a projector screen from a room down the hall. Dr. Roger Hiatt, Jr., an Arkansas child and adolescent psychiatry specialist who has publicly supported bills outlawing this

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Tom Brady’s health and fitness guru Alex Guerrero eyes creating ‘superhumans’ for Pentagon

TAMPA, Fla. — Promises of transformative military technology were around every corner at the recent Special Operations Forces Week conference, but few compared to upgrading human beings.

“I think that’s the future. It’s getting there where we’re going to be able to create superhumans,” Alex Guerrero told the audience this week. The medical practitioner is best known for his work on the TB12 Method with legendary NFL quarterback Tom Brady.

It may sound like science fiction, but Mr. Guerrero’s declaration dovetails with a multipronged U.S. armed forces’ effort to usher in the next phase of evolution for America’s warriors.

Military leaders are embracing biomechanics, mental health, psychological toughness and spiritual reawakening to nurture the mind, body and soul in concert to create warriors fully equipped for 21st-century conflicts on the battlefield and inside the mind.

Mr. Guerrero’s concept of “superhumans” hinges on culturing the microbiomes of elite athletes or other

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Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program returns | News

The Pennsylvania Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program, a statewide program through the Pa. Department of Agriculture, is designed to provide money for the purchase of nutritious Pennsylvania produce. To receive these vouchers through Indiana County Aging Services Inc., recipients must be 60 years of age by Dec. 31, 2023, a resident of Indiana County and meet the 2023 household income guidelines.

The 2023 household income eligibility is: one person, $26,973; two people, $36,482; three people, $45,991; four people, $55,500; five people, $65,009; six people, $74,518. The program does not include seniors who are living in nursing home facilities, convents and residential facilities where meals are provided.

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Fiber, Folate, and 3 More Healthy Celery Benefits

These ultra-crunchy veggies are overflowing with water, micronutrients, gut-healthy fiber, and more.

<p>Claudia Totir/Getty Images</p>

Claudia Totir/Getty Images

Traditionally, celery has been associated with ants on a log, mirepoix soup starters, or vehicles for hummus and other dips. It’s the perfect crunchy crudités addition, crispy salad embellishment, or tender chicken soup ingredient.

There’s no doubt that celery is good for you, but can a vegetable so mild and unassuming actually pack that much of a nutritional punch? We spoke to a registered dietitian nutritionist, who definitely thinks celery has a lot to offer, starting with these seven reasons to eat (or drink) more of it.

Related: How to Store Celery So It's Always Crunchy

Health Benefits of Celery

Celery is made up of mostly water, so it’s very hydrating.

In addition to making sure you’re getting enough nutrients, it’s important to drink plenty of fluids every day. The general recommendation is to drink

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